The two Advice Notes that have been updated are as follows:
1. ADVICE-20-001-12 V2-0 Consequences of Uncontrollable or Non-auditable Risks impacting the Forest Sector at large
The revised version now introduces the option for a continued provision of surveillance and re-certification evaluations by certification bodies for suspended certificate holders if the suspension is not related to performance risks or extraordinary events putting the auditing itself at risk. This allows suspended certificate holders to continue with producing FSC product stock from their pre-suspension input stock, to transition to version 3.1 of FSC-STD-40-004, and to avoid the need for an evaluation prior to lifting the suspension.
2. ADVICE-20-011-14 V1-1 Verification audits for material sold and produced but not dispatched prior to suspension
The Advice Note has been updated to provide for more flexibility as to when the verification audit can be conducted: this audit can now also be conducted after the suspension on the basis of duly considered increased risks that such a later verification entails.
New Version of FAQs Available
A new version of the FAQs has been published and is available for download below.
To learn more about actions FSC has taken around the Russian invasion of Ukraine visit the dedicated webpage here.
By materials of FSC International on 31.03.2022
FSC Ukraine prepared translations of these advice notes.